Category: Canada

Did you know…?

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    1. Canada has a public health care system known as “medicare”. It provides medical insurance for health care services to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents. You must have a valid health card and number to get eligible health care costs covered.
    2. Canada’s national health insurance program (Medicare) covers the cost of necessary hospital and doctor services. It involves the health care plans of all provinces and territories and aims to be equitable for all. Not all medical services or procedures are covered by public health care.
    3. The ancestors of Aboriginal peoples are believed to have migrated from Asia many thousands of years ago. In the 1970s, the term First Nation began to be used. Today, about half of First Nations people live on reserve land in about 600 communities while the other half live off-reserve, mainly in urban centres.
    4. When they came to Canada, many early French fur traders married First Nations women. Their descendants are called the Metis people. Most Metis live in Canada’s prairie provinces and speak their own dialect – Michif.
    5. The first four provinces to join Confederation as “Canada” in 1867 were Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Canada’s first Prime Minister was Sir John A. MacDonald. Manitoba joined in 1870, BC in 1871, PEI in 1873, NWT in 1880, Yukon in 1898, Saskatchewan and Alberta in 1905, Newfoundland and Labrador in 1949 and Nunavut in 1999.
    6. Canada’s Pacific coast province is British Columbia. The Prairie provinces are Alberta, Sasketchewan, and Manitoba. Central Canada refers to Ontario and Quebec. The North means the three territories: the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. “Maritimes” refers to the three provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. “Atlantic provinces” refers to those three plus Newfoundland and Labrador.
    7. More than 80% of Canada’s population live in towns and cities that are within 250 kilometres of the U.S. border. The U.S. borders Canada to the south. The United States is Canada’s largest trading partner.
    8. According to the 2006 Census, 6,186,950 foreign-born people lived in Canada. Not all foreign-born people who live in Canada have English or French as their mother tongue. In the 2006 census, people reported their mother tongue as:
      1. Chinese 18.6%
      2. Italian 6.6%
      3. Punjabi 5.9%
      4. Spanish 5.8%
      5. German 5.4%
      6. Tagalog 4.8%
      7. Arabic 4.7%
    9. The Inuit, which means “the people” in the Inuktitut language, live in small, scattered communities across the Arctic. Their knowledge of the land, sea and wildlife enabled them to adapt to one of the harshest environments on earth. About 65% of the Aboriginal people are First Nations, while 30% are Metis and 4% Inuit.
    10. The name “Canada” comes from the Huron-Iroquois word “Kanata” meaning village or settlement, and the name was used by the early explorer Jacques Cartier. The word Canada started appearing on maps in the 1550s.

Reference: DayPlanner

Struggling with finances to study in Canada? Here’s the information about scholarship awards in Canada!

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Scholarships and other awards are very competitive for international students. In fact, you will need to earn your worth by displaying exceptional extracurricular activities participation, academic excellence, the quality essay writing and ongoing studying performance in some case, among others. There are scholarships offered by specific universities/colleges and the government of Canada and other organizations. We have rounded up a selection of scholarships for those international students who are in need of financial support.

Scholarships offered by the Canadian Government 

  • Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships
  • Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s Program
  • IDRC Research Awards
  • NSERC Postgraduate scholarships
  • Organization of American States (OAS) Academic Scholarship Program
  • Vanier Canada Graduates Scholarships Program

Scholarships offered by the non-governmental organizations

  • Anne Vallee Ecological Fund
  • Trudeau Scholarships and Fellowships
  • Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarships

Scholarships offered by the specific school

Why should you study in Canada?

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  1. Global acceptance: Canadian universities are known as the least commercialized universities in the world. They offer degrees valued at par with the US schools and other Commonwealth nations. The government’s high academic standards and rigorous quality controls ensure the quality of education for both domestic and international students. This means that students graduated from Canadian institutions benefit from global acceptance at workplace. In short, it opens doors for your future.
  1. Affordable education: Thanks to the meticulous planning of economic management of the government which has checked the overall inflation rate over the decades. This economic achievement has made Canada a very less expensive country all the ways. The living standards and quality of education in Canada are among the highest in the world, but cost of living and tuition fees for international students are generally lower compared with other countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
  1. Diverse and multicultural society: Acceptance of immigrants is in the DNA of Canadians. The Canadian society understands and respects both professional and personal diversity. Such a welcoming culture has made them one of the most preferred destinations for studying and immigrating. Canada is proudly represented by the world’s ethnic groups. You will not face any difficulty in finding ethnic foods and recreation activities associated with your specific cultures. The Indian Diaspora will not allow you to be nostalgic. Places such as Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Halifax, and Calgary among others have ethnic supports and newcomers’ associations which could help you integrate into the Canadian society effortlessly.
  1. Safe and peaceful communities: Do you know United Nations consistently ranks Canada as one of the best places for living in the world? Welcoming culture, magnanimous Canadians along with the government’s stricter regulations about possessing guns make this country superior to others. International students feel at home and their rights of freedoms and expressions are fully protected. You will experience respect for human rights, equality, and a stable and peaceful society.

  1. Electrifying campus lifestyles: Canada’s post-secondary campuses are in sync with the latest technology and modern amenities. From public concert halls and art galleries to Olympic-quality sports facilities, they offer the best learning and leisure opportunities for students. Students have incredible opportunities to network with the like-minded individuals coming from the world and acquire invaluable experience through radio, newspapers, student-run governments and businesses.
  1. Primary focus on innovation and research opportunities: Canadian post-secondary education gives a significant importance on research and it is an integral part of studies. Students have ample opportunities to participate in this vibrant aspect of education. Both government and industry together encourage and support research including: medicine, computer technology, environmental science, agriculture and telecommunications. Roughly over 1 billion people every day around the world rely on Canadian innovations and discoveries – including insulin, light bulb, alkaline battery, radio voice transmission, walkie-talkie, electric oven, Java programming language, electron microns, and electric wheelchair among others.
  1. One country, many possibilities: Canadian education is a hallmark of quality which entails collaboration with other students and a great deal of interactions on various subjects with professors. Professors are right there to motivate you to think out of the box all the time. At the same time, they are overly co-operative to help and listen to you during any sorts of academic difficulties. Canada’s highly dynamic and hands-on academic environment will facilitate you to develop critical thinking, knowledge and skills in analysis and communication. Additionally, you will learn how to express yourself, demonstrate your creativity and develop self-confidence!
  1. Excellence in language education: Canada is a bilingual country and is considered as a world leader in language training. Students improve their fluency and capacity for either language as they further their studies.

Don’t be a victim of the marriage fraud

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It is not an entirely new sensation to come across the stories of marriage-fraud victims intending to immigrate to various countries; most popular destinations are USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK and other European countries.

Some people know about their ineligibility to immigrate to such countries or others might realize hard to navigate the official channels to make their new homes. So, what happens then? There are many scammers who would advise them to marry someone to jump the immigration line.

Those who have craze of settling in these countries, they go to any lengths to fulfill their desires. And more often they get entangled into a vicious circle of deceit, crime and loss of their hard-earned money. At worst, they are banned to enter some countries forever or for some years. I have arranged a video with such stories from the official website of the Government of Canada. Think twice before committing such immigration frauds.

StudyGroup offers scholarships to Indian Students

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Selecting which university to attend can be a difficult decision for your students. By offering a variety of scholarship opportunities, Study Group is working towards making that decision easier.

Baylor University: Ranked #75 University in the USA by U.S. News and World Report

  • Campus-funded scholarships are available (for direct entry). All students are automatically considered

City College of New York: #16 Public School – Regional Universities North by U.S. News and World Report, 2018

  • Campus-funded scholarships available to students

James Madison University: #4 Public School – Regional Universities South by U.S. News and World Report, 2018

  • Scholarships available for ISC students through Study Group

Lipscomb University: Ranked #181 National University by U.S. News and World Report

  • Scholarships available for ISC students through Study Group

Oglethorpe University: #33 America’s Most Entrepreneurial Colleges, Forbes, 2015

  • “Special Presidential Scholarships” available to students who confirm prior to 30 June
  • $10,000 Robinson Scholarship (2.5-2.9 GPA)  for Direct Admit or International Year (Fall intake)
  • $14,000 Sheffield Scholarship (3.0-3.4 GPA) for Direct Admit or International Year (Fall intake)
  • $20,000 Weltner Scholarship (3.5-4.0 GPA) for Direct Admit or International Year (Fall intake)
  • Study Group-funded merit-based scholarship of $5,000 to International Year students

Roosevelt University: #3 Campus Ethnic Diversity – Regional Universities Midwest by U.S. News & World Report, 2018

  • Scholarships available for ISC students through Study Group
  • $3,500 scholarship available for International Year students who have graduated from the ISC and are progressing to full-time study at Roosevelt

Royal Roads University: Graded “A” for quality of teaching and learning, Canadian University Report

  • Scholarships based on academic criteria are available for International Year applicants.

University of Vermont: #41 Top Public Universities by U.S. News and World Report, 2018

  • Scholarships available for ISC students through Study Group

West Virginia University: #99 Top Public Universities by U.S. News and World Report, 2018

  • Campus-funded scholarships available to students

Canada streamlines the student visa process for India, China, Vietnam and the Philippines

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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduces the new study permit guidelines for students from India, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Since April 2009, the ambitious plan called the Student Partners Program (SPP) had been operational in India until three days back. The success of this proactive plan to invite international students, especially from India and China was evident and was all set to invite a great number of students year on year basis. Because of the consistency of this visa policy program, IRCC witnessed a multifold rise in the student number from India and other countries.

With the grand success of SPP, IRCC is making great strides in promoting Canada as a study destination for international students by implementing efficient ways to process study permits. Now, the government has decided to replace the SPP with the Student Direct Stream (SDS). The SDS visa framework is effective from 9th June 2018 in four countries: India, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. More importantly, the Government of Canada is working on expanding this SDS program to Africa and contemplating adding Kenya and Senegal. Senegal seems to be getting priority because it has a rich French colonial heritage. Recently, we have seen the government is keen on inviting international students and intended immigrants who are proficient in French language to meet the acute needs of the French speaking manpower in certain industries and in various pockets of the country. Senegal fits into this story!

All these four countries and probably along with the new entrants i.e. Africa, Kenya and Senegal would be aligned together into one program to ensure the operational smoothness and consistency.

What all new changes have been introduced in the SDS program? Let’s study the existing policies versus the previous ones:

SDS

SPP
Tuition payment for the first year of study at a designated community college in Canada Tuition payment for the first semester of study at a designated community college in Canada
No CHANGE Purchase of a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of $10,000
A qualifying score of at least 6 in IELTS, with no less than 6.0 band in any module* A qualifying score of at least 6 band overall in IELTS, with no less than 5.5 band in any module

* The Government website doesn’t clarify the score of individual module, but the country-specific-checklist does.

All these new changes have now become a reality. What ramifications could we expect from these new changes in the context of Indian students wishing to study in Canada?

  • The upfront tuition payment for the first year: To date, parents/sponsors have been paying the one semester tuition fees before the final application for a study permit was lodged. For example, if we take the average of annual tuition fee of any community college on the upper side it comes to around CAD$ 14,000 (₹ 756,000). The Indian students paid around CAD$ 7,000 (₹ 378,000) for being the first semester tuition fees plus CAD$ 10,000 for purchase of a GIC. This totaled to CAD$17,000 (₹ 918,000). With this new SDS program, the upfront tuition payment doubles to CAD$ 14,000. It means students would be making the payment of CAD$ 24,000 (CAD$14,000 + CAD$ 10,000). So, the total expense comes to around ₹ 1,296,000 against INR 918,000, an increase by ₹ 378,000.

Students whose parents are struggling with finances take a hit with this new change. Unequivocally, this new policy is better for the Government of Canada but may not bring happiness for some Indian students. Further, looking at the hawkish stance of the RBI in India it seems that the interest rate would go up whereby the educational bank loan would also become expensive in the months to come. In a nutshell, with this SDS program parents would have a double whammy of loan interest increases and the burden of additional payment of one semester tuition fee.

  • A qualifying score of IELTS: As I do not have the official statistics about the median individual score of IELTS of the Indian students, I am presenting my assumptions.

If we were to believe that students wishing to study in Canada needed minimum 6.0 band in each module of the IELTS test, there would certainly be a massive amount of frustration among students. Over the decades, we have seen students slide by 0.5 band score at least in one of the individual modules, especially either in Writing section or Reading section.  Some students may manage to keep their nerve and win over this difficulty, but NOT all for sure. Consequently, students really need to prepare well for the IELTS test or they may face desperation and loss of the hard-earned money after paying for the test repeatedly.

Any new change either brings the luck or puts someone down: One man’s nightmare is another man’s dream. Ergo, some students will be caught in the crossfire of a silent scream.

Who will be reaping the harvest of SDS?

It goes without saying that British Council and IDP would be the greatest beneficiaries of this new change of the test score revision. Their numbers are already on the rise, and they could witness another 20% to 25% growth for Academic IELTS in the Indian market.

CELPIP test arrives in India

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Paragon Testing Enterprises which is a subsidiary of University of British Columbia has finally decided to open a testing center in India by the end of Summer 2018. The first test center will be opened in the capital, New Delhi.

The CELPIP test center stands for Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP). The CELPIP is a 100% Canadian English test designed for permanent residence status. There are two designated tests accepted as evidence of English language proficiency by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for immigration purpose – one is CELPIP and the other is IELTS General module.

The CELPIP test is developed by Paragon Testing Enterprises, a subsidiary of University of British Columbia. It is the first-ever Canadian English test which is designated by IRCC and mirrors the best in Canadian research. The test is designed to give prominence to Canadian English and accents as used in Canada.

The best part of CELPIP is it measures your functional language proficiency which is more relevant for day-to-day life. It focuses on test taker’s English abilities in a variety of different situations and contexts, such as how you communicate with your colleagues and others at workplace, interact with your friends, comprehend and respond to the written materials and understand news items. It is a complete measurement of your English abilities which include four modules of your language skills: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.

The CELPIP comes in two versions: the CELPIP – General test and the CELPIP – General LS test. Those who intend to immigrate to Canada can take the CELPIP General test to fulfill the requirement of English language proficiency for IRCC.

Canada – Top 10 jobs with a handsome pay

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The 10 most in-demand jobs in Canada

Current unemployment rate is 5.7% and inflation rate is 2.20%

Which occupation could assure me of a lifelong job security? Which occupations are trending now? These are complex questions. Oftentimes it is hard to find the right answer. We have no idea whether a particular occupation will remain in demand or increase demand in the future. A misstep could destroy the career and may put someone backwards only to switch it at a later stage. This article may help you find the right answer in the context of the Canadian labor market. Here are top ten unmissable jobs with the most potential (medical occupations are in exception):    

  1. Business analysts

Training needed: Minimum bachelor’s degree in business administration with some background of IT work experience

Job outlook: Business dynamics never remain constant and bring challenges all the time, especially when every company is out there to go to any length in competition. All the businesses need to make use of technology at the optimum level so as they can stay ahead of challenges. From gathering details about consumer behavior to any other business analytics they bring in new software and technologies. However, it is a daunting task for mangers to make employees use these new features top-down. Business analysts make sure that how everyone uses such a new fancy piece of software. So somebody who has a knack of doing business analysis with the IT background puts this job in order.

Salary range: $73,000 – $87,000

 

  1. Account managers

Training needed: Minimum bachelor’s degree in business administration, commerce, or ecommerce is required. There are various training programs and courses offered by financial organizations and institutes.

Job outlook: Employment in accounting job is considered one of the most recession-proof occupations. Because when you dream of having a startup or shutting down your existing corporation accountants are required to do your number job. An accountant is needed for several jobs including filing corporate taxes and managing company’s finances.

Salary range: $63,000 – $75,000

 

  1. Software engineers

 Training needed: Minimum bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer systems engineering, software engineering with practical experience for entry-level

Job outlook: It is estimated that this occupation will witness around 25 per cent growth in the decade to come yet. Technology surrounds us all the time and innovators and software application developers are never going to be out of demand. Not only is a solid demand that is on the table, but engineers in this occupation are paid high salaries. The breakthrough technologies and ongoing revolution in mobile device industry cements a stable growth in coming years. So get on the board and build the world of future.

Salary range: $83,000 – $99,000

 

  1. Geoscientists

Training needed: A bachelor’s degree in earth science or a related field is usually required with 4 years of work experience working in the same field.

Job outlook: British Columbia and Alberta where the earth excavation for fossil fuels and minerals are in full swings amid protests by some not-for-profit organizations and local people. Professional geoscientists make more than the median salary in some cases. It all depends upon the previous track record of the candidate and his contribution to discovery and business activities. The pay scale could go as much as $300,000 in some cases. The primary job of geoscientist is to help society meet its needs for natural resources.

Salary range: $36,000 – $75,000

 

  1. 3D animation professionals

Training needed: A university or college degree in graphic design, commercial art, graphic communications or cartooning is usually required. With the traditional degree, some years of work experience with creativity is prioritized.

Job outlook: if you are driven intrinsically to create something like ‘The Lord of the Rings’ or ‘Avatar’ or a memorable cartoon for next-gen children, then this occupation will test your creativity. Professionals in this industry think out of the box and more than your traditional degree your eccentric and wacko designs get thumbs up.

Salary range: $49,000 – $86,000

 

  1. IT project managers

Training needed: Minimum bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer systems engineering, software engineering, business administration or a related field is usually required

Job outlook: IT project managers enjoy high salaries in every part of the world. Job duties of computer geeks encompasses responsibility of leading the team that include software engineers, networking engineers, analysts and other techies through complex IT projects. Waterloo in Ontario province is called a ‘Silicon Valley’ of Canada where you see all types of multinational tech companies.

Salary range: $92,000 – $114,000

 

  1. Nurses

Training needed: Registered nurses hold a university, college or other approved registered nursing program.

Job outlook: It is one of the occupations which has never witnessed any slump to date. Registered nurses are in great demand and the same trend seems to continue for the years to come. Registered nurses are driven intrinsically and this occupation requires rich work experience with dedication.

Salary range: $58,000 – $78,000

 

  1. Veterinarian doctors

Training needed: With the provincial license, veterinarian practitioners are required to have a four to five-year university degree in veterinary medicine and completion of national certification examinations. Along with these basic academics, practitioners also hold a two-year pre-university study before they can move to a tradition undergrad degree in the same field.

Job outlook: Are you an animal lover who wants to make the world more compassionate? If yes, then there could be no better job for you than this. The good news is the employment opportunity in this sector is expected to grow by 19 per cent until 2026, quite faster than the average for all occupations. Go help your loved ones!

Salary range: $70,000 – $100,000

 

  1. Finance managers

Training needed: Minimum bachelor’s degree in business administration, economics, commerce or a related field is required. Some positions may require a master’s degree with finance concentration.

Job outlook: Canadian economy is one of the stable economies in the world. Its economic health performance was tested during the 2008 financial meltdown. It had a minor denting, but bounced back in line with other growing economies. Currently, the economic outlook is stable and expected to do well in coming years. So are businesses in Canada! There are openings for this role in all sized corporations. If you are passionate about numbers and overseeing the company’s financial health, get on the board and take your company ahead of others.

Salary range: $75,000 – $110,000

 

  1. Engineering project manager

Training needed: Minimum bachelor’s degree in engineering with a master degree in business management or related vendor courses

Job outlook: The government of Canada is pumping money into infrastructure projects and housing sector to meet the existing demand and create job opportunities for their people. Their belief is simple: infrastructure propels the growth. Engineering project managers’ job duties include building stuff and managing people. Furthermore, project management consultancy (PMC) and engineering procurement & construction (EPC) are relatively new business practices which have given remarkable returns to those companies that adopt this system. Project efficiency and productivity increase with curbing in slippages to some extent. This has called for a fresh demand for such engineering project managers.

Salary range: $74,000 – $92,000

Ontario makes history!

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Has anyone ever thought that the province of Ontario would accept applications with less than 400 CRS points? I guess none. But, that is what happened on 26 March 2018. First time ever, the province of Ontario sent ‘targeted notification of interest’ to candidates, who were waiting in the pool and met the Human Capital Priorities (HCP) stream criteria with either a job letter or French language skills at CLB7 or above.

Two rounds of invitation were announced and Express Entry candidates with CRS points as low as 351 were issued invitations.

This again proves that the province of Ontaria has an insatiable demand for candidates with certain skills. Hence, keep trying and have patience. You never know something good can happen to you. Everyone has a different clock and wait for it!